Case Studies – Answers to the Questions B2B Marketing Managers

Case Studies Answers to the Questions B2B Marketing Managers At Savvy B2B Marketing, we thrive on different perspectives and new ideas, which is why we ar thrilled to welcome todays leaf node web logger, Casey HIbbard, also k right offn as the queen of case studies. In her blog Stories that Sell Casey air divisions succeeder-story marketing best practices. More fantastic guests are aforethought(ip) for the weeks ahead, so stay tuned. Customer case studies are high-value, in-demand marketing and gross sales collateral. Marketing teams are tasked with producing powerful stories, yet its not unendingly easy.Classroom I work with all types of marketers, from those new to case studies to seasoned veterans. The aforementioned(prenominal) questions come up again and again. Here are marketers croak questions and whatever answers on creating and managing case studies 1. How do we sterilize clients to participate? Unfortunately, theres no one-size-fits-all answer. It comes do wn to finding the win-win opportunity with every customer that you indispensableness to feature. Brainstorm with internal colleagues close to the customer intimately possible motivators. Does the keep company want to tell a certain story right now?Does your individual achieve want PR internally for bringing ab place successful outcomes? Then discuss your ideas candidly with the customer. From there, create a customized vocalize promotional plan or agreement that meets both your needs and the customers objectives. 2. How long does it take to produce a case invite? The clock starts when you interview the customer. If everything goes relatively smoothly, an approximately two-page case study or success story takes about one month to complete, on average. If your contact is responsive and has the authority to approve your story, then the process can be done in a couple of weeks.But if multiple people are reviewing and approving it, it can take months, worst case. Always start ris e up ahead of any trade shows or sales opportunities to ensure you get the story you need. 3. How do we get measurable results? To draw measurable results out of happy customers, you have to get very specific internally and with feature customers. Identify what metrics mean the most to your prospects, and areas where current customers typically see results. Craft interview questions accordingly, making sure to ask before-and-after questions (how much clock time did a process take compared to now? . Walk customers through all(prenominal) area of potential benefit because most havent stop to quantify yet. Negotiate with customers on what metrics they are willing to share and how. You may have a specific way that youd like to match ROI, but your customer isnt comfortable with that. Your customer might be to a greater extent willing to talk in percentages or in factors of (twice as, one-third of ) rather of in dollar amounts. 4. How long should my case study or success story be? T he length of your customer story depends on your audition and the point in the sales cycle.The goal Answer the prospects questions and objections at the right time. As a general rule, business decision-makers select shorter overviews (1-2 page success stories) that focus on business results. And perhaps primaeval on, technology decision-makers appreciate that briefer overview. But as they get further on in the evaluation process, IT people in particular, and sometimes department/division managers, want more details (case studies of 2+ pages) about factors such as implementation, customizability, ease of use/maintenance, functionality and support.Technology folks also tend to want more candid stories that include lessons learned. These are the questions I hear most. What are your top questions and challenges when it comes to case studies? About the author Casey Hibbard is author of the book, Stories That Sell Turn satisfy Customers into Your Most Powerful Sales Marketing Asset and principal of get Cases Inc. She also writes the Stories That Sell blog.